New member here. As my name suggests I shoot a couple of Kimbers, but I've owned a couple Smith and Wessons. The one I would like to date my father-n-law gave me about ten years ago.
It is a 6" barrel with a silver(grey) finish. I finally decided that it was nickel plated and did some polishing to reveal shiney plate. It does have places that it is worn down to the metal. And someone put a blue cylinder release button on it. The grips are rubber K-frame grips. There are two numbers on the gun. On the bottom of the barrel it says: B 20xxx, on the butt the same number is repeated without the letter. On the frame inside the crane and on the crane it says: 59xxx. There is a small symbol with what looks like s2 behind the number on the frame. It has five screws and a place for a lanyard.
I had a friend look at it when I got it. It was real dirty. He said it was made in the 1920's and refinished. If I could find the wooden grips I would get them. But if it shoots better with the rubber ones, I would leave the rubber on for the times I shoot it.
I do shoot the gun on occasion. It shoots real fine. Trigger is nice. Can you dry fire a gun this old? What is a ballpark value?
Thanks for any help.
Oh, I just found a number on the cylinder, that is the same as on the barrel and butt.

A .44 Special serial number in the 20,000s might have been made in 1923 or 1924 depending on what the Xs represent.
Show pictures and somebody will guess a dollar value.

The B pre fix on the barrel number indicates (usually) it shipped as a blue gun.

1924 +/- is about right. Allegedly dry firing will not harm it, but it's just something I won't do to mine. Probably a 2nd Model .44 Hand Ejector. The original grips would be very nice to have. For shooting purposes, I have rubber grips on most of my revolvers, and I keep the originals safe.

Are the hammer and trigger nickel plated? If so, that's a sure sign of aftermarket plating.

The OP said it has K frame rubber grips. I don't believe that they would fit the pre war N frame 44. I'm thinking this is a 38 M&P Model of 1902.

I'll bet it sho is hard puttin the 44 ammo in it.
I'm thinkin it would be easier to get the K frame rubber on an N frame.

The S2 you see in the yoke cut is a Springfield Inspector's mark. That + the swivel hole indicate a leftover 1917 frame, which is what was used for the majority of 44-2nd Models well into the 20's.
Also- your barrel is 6-1/2 if you measure from the cylinder to muzzle.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

with my glasses cleaned the grips say N frame.
I uploaded(I hope.) some pictures of gun. I am polishing it to make it look like nickel plate. I can't tell if hammer and trigger are plated.
The number on butt is 20838.

Attached Images

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	IMG_2032.jpg (87.4 KB, 113 views)
	IMG_2029.jpg (98.1 KB, 101 views)
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I dunno if I just missed the OP's title or what. I didn't see the 44 Special there when I posted. My bad (where's the hammer head emoticon).

You're right though, getting those fat 44's into the 38 chambers would require a bit of extra effort. Maybe a ball peen hammer or some such........

Since you cleaned your glasses, did that B under the barrel disappear?
I ask because that old gun looks righteous to me. I see no signs of a refinish. The hammer and trigger are not plated.
If it does have a B, it is possible they nickeled a blue gun to fill an order, or caught the gun before bluing to nickel it for an order, or maybe it is a factory refinish.

Is the grip pin missing?

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Since no one has said it yet, Welcome to the Forum.

.44 Special revolvers are very popular on this site.

If you go to this thread:

Let's see those 1926 .44 Specials!

The second pair of grips, the ones without the medallions, would be correct for you .44.

Goodyears (rubber grips) will probably be more comfortable for shooting.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It does have a "B" in front of barrel number. I don't know what the grip pin or where it would be. The pin that would hold the lanyard on is gone. There is a hole behind the spring.

Where do you look for grips?

Place a "Want to Buy" (WTB) ad here:

WANTED to Buy

Also, check this section often:

Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade

You are looking for pre WW II N frame service grips without medallions.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

The grip pin is supposed to be in the hole that is centered front to rear at the bottom of the frame (the upper one of the two shown in your forth picture. It protrudes about 1/8" or a fuzz more out each side, and fits into corresponding holes in each grip panel to keep them located and from moving around on the grip frame. It is usually a rolled pin. Many gun shops have extras laying around due to removing them to mount early style Hogue Monogrips.

"It is usually a rolled pin."

It would have been a solid pin on a prewar revolver. One can be made from a piece of drill rod.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

You are right, and maybe I wasn't clear enough, but what I meant was if the OP went around to gun shops asking for one, that is what they should ask for since that is what they would have on hand. Very unlikely one would have the old solid pin lying around nowdays. Most of my local shops have a smalll parts bin filled with grip screws, pins etc.